Pets are probably the sweetest creatures in one’s house. They entertain you, care for you and are loyal to a fault. But what happens when their health goes downhill and they face long-lasting ailments? Yes, it gets difficult to handle them. It takes time, attention, money and a true commitment to take them through the course of treatment so they can live happy and healthy lives. But, that is what we owe to these innocent creatures when they need us desperately.
To make it less difficult for you to commit to your pet’s treatment and recovery, this blog has all that you need to know, learn, plan and execute. Let’s start with what you should know about the disease.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition characterized by a highly unusual amount of glucose or sugar in the blood. The condition is a result of your pet’s inability to produce the required amount of insulin or manage insulin’s proper response to utilize glucose in the blood.
Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas in the body. It lets glucose enter the body cells for the cells to be able to deduce energy from them. If insulin’s response is disturbed, the glucose in the blood doesn’t enter the cell and starts to accumulate in the blood. This accumulation keeps increasing its concentration in the blood, and ultimately the limit is touched when the condition is said to be diabetes.
What causes diabetes?
Besides diabetes being a genetically transferable disease, there are a number of factors that cause diabetes in pets. The two of the most common ones are:
Pancreatitis
A quarter of dogs with diabetes have or at some point had pancreatitis. Pancreatitis destroys the cells which produce insulin. As a result, the production of insulin is halted and the balance of glucose in the blood is disturbed.
It is important to keep regular check-ups to avoid any sudden or serious condition. If you see any misbehavior or depressed attitude in your pet, you need to see a veterinarian immediately.
Obesity
A survey conducted by petobesityprevention.org in 2017 showed that 56% of dogs and 60% of cats were overweight. Obesity is one of the basic causes of diabetes.
Fat cells produce agents that promote a number of diseases which may cause diabetes. Obesity increases the chances of pancreatitis and other diabetes friendly conditions. The first thing to overcome for effective diabetic pet management would definitely be the obesity. It not only contributes to diabetes, but to other ailments as well, with increased chances of low or hindered recovery.
Along with what we have discussed, diabetes may be caused by a bad diet. Feeding your pet with too much sugar must be avoided or the risk of the disease looms over you all the time glucose monitoring system.
Common Symptoms of Diabetes
Commonly Observed Symptoms in Dogs
- There are various indications that a diabetic pet shows:
- Changes in appetite – the intake and timings become unusual
- Large consumption of water and still feeling thirsty
- Quick dehydration
- Frequent urination
- Recurring urinary tract infections
- Overly sweet smell
- Reluctance to make any movements
Commonly Observed Symptoms in Cats
- Like dogs, cats also drink a lot of water.
- Diabetic cats urinate more than usual because of drinking a lot of water.
- Cats lose weight when suffering from diabetes.
- You may see sudden and severe vomiting, which is also common with diabetic cats.
- Diabetic cats walk differently as compared to the way they used to walk before getting diabetes.
Treatment
The main line of action for treating diabetes is controlling the concentration of glucose in blood. Your veterinarian will advise you to be careful with your pet’s diet, ask you to make the pet exercise regularly and the most importantly, have you administer the insulin injection without fail every day.
Importance of Insulin for Effective Diabetic Pet Management
Insulin is the board on which the whole treatment stands. This is the most important part to managing your diabetic pet. All the care that a person has for their pet would be wasted with even a slight mismanagement of the insulin.
The hormone, insulin, is injected externally to regulate the intensity of diabetes when the body is lacking the ability to produce it in the required amount. Insulin injections are very sensitive, and the ones who are new to having diabetes with their pets, and are unaware of how to administer insulin injections must not take it lightly. Such people must take advice from their veterinarian in the initial days unless they learn to do it easily.
Insulin is vital to handling a diabetic pet. It goes into the body and utilizes glucose by making it enter body cells. Insulin works as a glucose transporter within the body.
Other Things to Take Care of
Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is a crucial factor in diabetes management. Make sure your pet does not intake more than the required amount of calories. Include more fibers and cut down fats as much as possible for dogs. Cats are suggested to take less carbohydrates and more proteins.
Exercise
Exercise helps burn extra calories in the blood. It is highly recommended for pet owners to make their pets do regular exercise. It not only keeps the glucose level under control, but also keeps the pet active. Further, exercise prevents obesity which is highly significant in order to treat diabetes.
